Psalms 12

1 Unto the end. For the octave. A Psalm of David. Save me, O Lord, because holiness has passed away, because truths have been diminished, before the sons of men.

To the Overseer, on the octave. — A Psalm of David. Save, Jehovah, for the saintly hath failed, For the stedfast have ceased From the sons of men:

2 They have been speaking emptiness, each one to his neighbor; they have been speaking with deceitful lips and a duplicitous heart.

Vanity they speak each with his neighbour, Lip of flattery! With heart and heart they speak.

3 May the Lord scatter all deceitful lips, along with the tongue that speaks malice.

Jehovah doth cut off all lips of flattery, A tongue speaking great things,

4 They have said: “We will magnify our tongue; our lips belong to us. What is Lord to us?”

Who said, 'By our tongue we do mightily: Our lips [are] our own; who [is] lord over us?'

5 Because of the misery of the destitute and the groaning of the poor, now I will arise, says the Lord. I will place him in safety. I will act faithfully toward him.

Because of the spoiling of the poor, Because of the groaning of the needy, Now do I arise, saith Jehovah, I set in safety [him who] doth breathe for it.

6 The eloquence of the Lord is pure eloquence, silver tested by fire, purged from the earth, refined seven times.

Sayings of Jehovah [are] pure sayings; Silver tried in a furnace of earth refined sevenfold.

7 You, O Lord, will preserve us, and you will guard us from this generation into eternity.

Thou, O Jehovah, dost preserve them, Thou keepest us from this generation to the age.

8 The impious wander aimlessly. According to your loftiness, you have multiplied the sons of men.

Around the wicked walk continually, According as vileness is exalted by sons of men!